useless or ridiculous; as they tended at leaft, to illuf-
trate an inftitution of no frivolous or indifferent
nature. Chivalry is commonly looked upon as a bar-
barous fport, or extravagant amusement, of the dark
ages.
It had however no fmall influence on the man-
ners, policies, and conftitutions of antient times, and
served many public and important purposes. It was
the school of fortitude, honour, and affability. Its
exercises, like the grecian games, habituated the youth
to fatigue and enterprise, and inspired the noblest sen-
timents of heroism. It taught gallantry and civility
to a favage and ignorant people, and humanised the
native ferocity of the northern nations. It conduced
to refine the manners of the combatants, by exciting
an emulation in the devices and accoutrements, the
fplendour and parade, of their tilts and tournaments:
while its magnificent feftivals, thronged with noble
dames and courteous knights, produced the first ef-
forts of wit and fancy.

I am still further to hope, that, together with other fpecimens of obfolete literature in general, hinted at before, the many references I have made, in particular to Romances, the neceffary appendage of antient Chivalry, will alfo plead their pardon. For however monftrous and unnatural thefe compofitions may ap

pear

.

pear to this age of reason and refinement, they merit more attention than the world is willing to beftow. They preferve many curious hiftorical facts, and throw confiderable light on the nature of the feudal fyftem. They are the pictures of antient ufages and customs; and represent the manners, genius, and character of our ancestors. Above all, fuch are their Terrible Graces of magic and enchantment, fo magnificently marvellous are their fictions and fablings, that they contribute, in a wonderful degree, to rouse and invigorate all the powers of imagination: to ftore the fancy with thofe fublime and alarming images, which true poetry best delights to difplay.

Laftly, in analyfing the Plan and Conduct of this poem, 1 have fo far tried it by epic rules, as to demonstrate the inconveniencies and incongruities, which the poet might have avoided, had he been more ftudious of design and uniformity. It is true, that his romantic materials claim great liberties; but no materials exclude order and perfpicuity. I have endeavoured to account for these defects, partly from the peculiar bent of the poet's genius, which at the fame time produced infinite beauties, and partly from the predominant taste of the times in which he wrote.

Let

Let me add, that if I have treated fome of the italian poets, on certain occafions, with too little refpect, I did not mean to depreciate their various incidental excellencies. I only fuggefted, that those excellencies, like fome of Spenfer's, would have appeared to greater advantage, had they been more judiciously difpofed. I have blamed, indeed, the vicious excefs of their fictions; yet I have found no fault in general, with their use of magical machinery; notwithstanding, I have fo far conformed to the reigning maxims of modern criticism, as, in the mean time, to recommend claffical propriety.

I cannot take my final leave of the reader, without the fatisfaction of acknowledging, that this work has proved a most agreeable task; and I hope this confideration will at leaft plead my pardon for its length, whatever cenfure or indulgence the rest of its faults may deferve. The bufinefs of criticism is commonly laborious and dry; yet it has here more frequently amufed than fatigued my attention, in its excurfions upon an author, who makes fuch perpetual and powerful appeals to the fancy. Much of the pleasure that Spenfer experienced in compofing the FAIRY QUEEN, muft, in some measure, be fhared by his commentator; and the critic, on

this occafion, may speak in the words, and with the rapture, of the poet.

The wayes through which my weary steppes I guyde

In this DELIGHTFULL LAND OF FAERIE,

Are fo exceeding fpacious and wyde,
And sprinkled with fuch sweet varietie
Of all that pleasant is to ear or eye,

That I nigh ravisht with rare thoughts delight,
My TEDIOUS TRAVEL do forgett thereby:

And when I gin to feele decay of might,

It ftrength to me fupplies, and cheares my dulled fpright.

6. I. I.

THE EN D.